Method of fabricating solar cell modules

A method of fabricating a solar cell module having a rigid light transparent superstrate and a plurality of solar cells arrayed on the bottom surface of said superstrate comprising:

• preparing an array of solar cells electrically interconnected one to the other in serial and/or parallel fashion;
• placing said array of solar cells in a mold, said mold having an inlet port and an outlet port and a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the module being formed;
• placing an optically white backing sheet in said mold;
• placing an adhesive at least at each location corresponding to the location of the solar cells in the array in an amount sufficient to form a thin film of adhesive on the back of each of said cells of the array and to bond the cells to the backing sheet whereby the movement of cells in the mold is substantially limited;
• placing said array on said adhesive;
• applying pressure to said array in an amount and for a time sufficient to bond said array to said backing sheet;
• placing and securing a rigid light transparent electrically nonconductive superstrate on top of said mold, said superstrate being spaced from the top of the array, whereby a cavity is defined between said rigid transparent member and the bottom of said mold;
• pumping an encapsulant through the inlet port of said mold until all the air is expelled from the cavity defined by said superstrate and the bottom of mold;
• and
• thereafter curing said encapsulant, thus bonding said superstrate to said array;
• then removing the module, including said superstrate, from the mold.

A method of fabricating a solar cell module having a rigid light transparent superstrate and a plurality of solar cells arrayed on the bottom surface of said superstrate comprising:

• preparing an array of solar cells electrically interconnected one to the other in serial and/or parallel fashion;
• placing said array of solar cells in a mold, said mold having an inlet port and an outlet port and a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the module being formed;
• placing an optically white backing sheet in said mold, said backing sheet having raised land areas at locations between each cell in the array whereby said land areas limit the movement of said array in said mold;
• placing said array in said mold on said backing sheet so that the raised land areas thereof are located between the cells of the array;
• placing and securing a rigid light transparent electrically nonconductive superstrate on top of said mold, said superstrate being spaced from the top of the array, whereby a cavity is defined between said rigid transparent member and the bottom of said mold;
• pumping an encapsulant through the inlet port of said mold until all the air is expelled from the cavity defined by said superstrate and the bottom of mold;
• and
• thereafter curing said encapsulant, thus bonding said superstrate to said array;
• then removing the module, including said superstrate, from the mold.